Danville, Ky., linebacker Lamar Dawson is one of the most recruited linebackers in all the South. But, despite the attention the 6-foot-2, 230-pound backer is still a man of few words.

The last few weeks the soft-spoken Dawson has had a lot on the plate. First, there was attending to the defense of his Boyle County team's 4A State Championship from the past year. He checked that off the list as he and his teammates defeated Allen County-Scottsville 21-14 on Dec. 3.

Since then, it's been finishing the semester right in the classroom and seeing visiting coaches from across the country. Two that have recently dropped by to see the U.S. Army All-American have been Tennessee coaches Harry Hiestand and Lance Thompson.

"They've been good. We just talked about getting me down there on an official and about what Tennessee has to offer," Dawson said about the conversations with the Tennessee duo.

Dawson said there were a few things that stood about what the Vol coaches have been telling him.

"They just told me I have the opportunity to play early and to get a good education and the network at Tennessee," Dawson said.

The Vols are one of seven schools Dawson said he is still considering and gave a few reasons why the Vols are in that group.

"Just, they're close to home and they're in the SEC," Dawson said.

He's been able to set up an official to Tennessee for the last weekend in January and he's already taken a visit to Oregon to see the Ducks and offered that the visit went well.

"It was real good. It was just kind of good to see that," Dawson said.

The seven schools still involved with Dawson include Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, Southern Cal, Michigan, Oregon and Florida. Dawson said he hasn't spoken with new Florida coach Will Muschamp but added that he has spoken to an assistant.

Dawson said he will take his time to make his decision and that it will come down to a few simple things.